Power lift means for



June 22, 1937. T; BROWN v PownR mF-r umns FOR TRACTORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR June 22, 1937. T; BROWN POWER LIFT MEANS FOR TRAQTORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Oct. 9, 19321 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIZVVENTOR BY f A TTORNE VS,

Reiuued June 22, 1937 lino i The present invention relates to improvements in tractors and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved power lift assembly adaptedto derive power from the tractor motor and lowering means of associated implements and performing other functions requiring the application, either continuously or intermittently, of, power under control.

Specifically, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to improve the mounting and support of the various power lift parts to provide a more rugged construction and to distribute the stresses and strains. To this end, the present invention contemplates providing" a transversely disposed. tubular housing for the driven shaft of the power lift clutch mechanism and to mount the clutch elements outside of the housing and preferably on one side thereof with the lifting crank or other operative connections, adapted to be actuated by the power lift mechanism, connected at the other end of the shaft.

Another important object of the presentinvention is the provision of simplified means for preventing the driven parts of the clutch mechanism from overrunning the driving parts.- anti-racing feature is of especial importance where the power lift clutch mechanism is utilized for raising and lowering implement parts, such as soil engaging tools and the like. Implements, such as listers and the like, when dropped, fall upon the points of the furrow openers, and as these implements are relatively heavy, often damage is done to the furrow opener parts, especially where the lister is dropped on hard or stony ground. According to the present invention, the driven ,clutch parts are locked or latched to the driving clutch parts when the clutch is operated so that the driven parts are prevented the driving parts. Thus, when the clutch is tripped to lower an implement, the implement is lowered gradually and the possibility of damage to the furrow opener points is eliminated. The construction of the clutch of the present invention is both sturdy and simple and avoids the complicated latches or other ratchet mechanism employed in previous clutches to prevent racing.

Still further, another object of the present invention is the provision of overload release mechanism between the clutch mechanism and the parts to be operated, or raised or lowered, thereby. According to the present invention, the overload release mechanism is capable of being reset by a subsequent operation of the power lift clutch.

and [to utilize the same for operating the raising This ' from rotating in either direction with respect to UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER LIFT MEANS FOR TBACTORS AND THE LIKE Theophilus Brown, Moline, IlL, assignor to Deere & (ligmpany, Moline, 111., a corporation of 11- Original. No. 1,991,765, dated April. 16, 1935, Serial No. 692,754, October 9, 1933. Application for reissue December 17, 1936, Serial No.

s Claims. (01. 97-50) These and other objects and advantages of the.

present invention will be apparent after a con- ,siderationlof the following detailed description of the preferred structural embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiment.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of aportion of the rear end of -a tractor on which my improved power lift mechanism has been mounted;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1, with certain parts broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section, taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side. View, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the overload release mechanism in tripped or release position.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a tractor of more or less conventional construction embodying a casing 2 serving as a framefor the tractor and containing the tractor transmission mechanism and to which is secured a rear axle housing 3 of the banjo type which includes laterally directed housing sections 4 and 5 joined at their inner ends by a banjo section 8 enclosing the differential mechanism for the live axles journaled in the housing sections 4 and 5. Rear axle housings of the type shown are usually provided with arear opening closed by a cover plate, and according to the principles of the present invention, the cover plate for the rear aide housing is formed so as to provide for the mounting of certain parts of the power lift assembly. Thecover plate is indicated in Figure 1 by the reference numeral Ill and is provided with a sleeve 1 l formed integrally therewith, extending rearwardly from the lower portion thereof and providing a casing for a powerv take-off shaft I! which is adapted to be operatively connected in anymanner with the tractor motor, preferably by a connection with certain of the transmission gears enclosed in'the casing 2, or the shaft I2 may be connected directly to the end of the main .drive worm, as shown in Letters Patent No. 1,640,642, granted to me on August 30, 1927, and in Letters Patent granted to J. H. Wilson, 1,64%,765, October 11, 1927. Within the housing II the power take-off shaft I2 is provided with a worm l5, best shown in Figure 2, from which power is derived for actuating the power lift clutch and associated structure.

ings l9 and 20, the bearing housings and the central housing section all being preferably formed integrally with the cover plate l0. J ournaled within the right hand bearing housing 20 is 'a' sleeve 24, best shown in Figure 2, which extends from the central'housing section 10 I8 outside the right hand end of the housing section 2ll,'and at its inner end the sleeve 24 carries a worm gear 25 keyed or otherwise secured thereto and arranged to mesh with the worm Ii carried on the power take-off shaft 12. The laterally outer' end of the sleeve 24 projects through the bearing housing and has formed integrally with its outer end a drum 21 and a hub 28. I

tating element of a power lift clutch, indicated 20 in its entirety by the reference numeral 30, 'of the operator controlled half=revolution type. That is to say, as long as the power take-oi! shaft I2 isrotated, the clutch element 21 will also be rotated. n 25 Journaled within the sleeve 24 and within the left hand tubular housing I! is a transverse shaft 24, bearing means 35 being carried by the hous ing section IQ for this purpose. The transverse shaft 34 extends laterally beyond the housing 19 at one end and laterally beyond the hub 2! at the other end, as best shown in Figure 2. g The right hand end of the shaft 34 is tapered and is formed to receive the intermittently rotatable plate element 25, this plate element forming the driven member of the half-revolution clutch 30. Preferably, the tapered end of the shaft 34 is provided with splines which engage with companion splines formed in the plate member 35, although otherfastening or securing 40 means may be employed if desired. a The extreme end 26 of the shaft 34 is threaded and provided with a nut 38 for holding the plate element 25 in position. The half-revolution clutch mechanism proper consists of the driving and drivenmembers 21 and 35 referred to above and suitable operator controlled means for clutching the driven member to the driving member. For this purpose, the driven member 25 carries a throwout dog III on the outside thereof and pivotally connected therewith by means of a pivot 41, as

best shown in Figure 1. The throwout dog 42 carries a roller 42 which is Journaled on a pin 42 fixed to the member 40. and projecting through a slot 44 in the plate member 25. The inner end of the pin 42 is supported and reinforced by a strap 45 and is rigidly connected with both the pin 42 and the pivot 41 whereby, by such construction, the strap 45 is virtually a fixed part of and moves with the dog 40. -The length of w the slot. 44 limits the rocking movement of the dog 40 and strap 45 about the pivot axis ll.

' The throwout dog 40 and associated parts are so mounted on the plate member 25 that the strap ll and roller l2'are arranged in a position 55 between the hub 28 and flange 21 of thedriving clutch element, and the strap 45. is curved in a direction to follow the curvature of these parts, as best shown in Figure 3. The flange 21 is provided with a series of internal corrugations ll 70 and the hub member 28 is provided with a plu rality of notches 5| facing outwardly in the direction ofthe corrugations B2. The roller l2'is adapted in one position to engage the,corrugations I2. and in the same-position a tooth or projection 25 is adapted to engage one of the Figure 3 shows these parts in disengaged posi The drum 21 forms the constantly rothe roller 10 is positioned in the notch 12, the

'16 which is biased between the flange of the roller 10 from the notch 12 and out of engage- 1 I5 enters one of the notches 5|. From Figure 3 from rotating relative --to the hub 28. In other -21, while the provision of the roller 42 anclthe notches II, a spring I being provided for urging the throwout dog ll to a position in which the roller 42 does engage one of the notches I0 and the tooth BI engages one of the hatches ll.

tion, in'which the .roller 42 is free of the corrugations Wand the tooth 56 is free of the notches II. The means for holding the throwout dog 40. in this position and against the action of the spring 58- comprises a pair of arms 60 and 2! car- 1 ried by a shaft 62- supported in an apertured boss 62 and in an apertured plate "riveted or other wisesecured to a vertically disposed bracket 66 bolted to the axle housing 2. The arms 22 and il are preferably welded or otherwise rigidly se- 1 cured to the shaft B2 and their radially outer ends are spaced apart to receive a roller 10 iournaled on a pin or stud 1| secured to the arms ill and 81. The roller 12 is adapted to be disposed in a notch 12 formed in a flange portion of the plate 2 member 35, and the notch 12 is so disposed with respect to the throwout dog 40 that, whenever outer end of the throwout dog 40 is engaged and the dog 40 is moved about its pivot 4| to the position shown in Figure 3, which holds the roller l2 and the tooth 55 out of engagement with the flange 21 and hub 22 of the driving clutch element. With the parts in this position, the halfrevolution clutch an is disengaged; A pedal 15 is secured to one end of the shaft 62 and serves to rock the shaft against the action of the spring bracket 86 and the arm SI for withdrawing the ment with the end of the throwout dog It.

When the pedal 15 is depressed the roller 10 is rocked out of engagement with the dog 40 and the spring 52 then operates to swing the dog in a position to bring the roller 42 into one of thecorrugations II, and at the same time the-tooth it will be apparentthat there are as many notches II asthere are corrugations ill. When this engagement is thus established, the plate member a 2! will be locked for rotation with the driving flange 21 and hub 22. Normally, the driving member 21, acting through the corrugations BI and the roller and dog 40, will exert a thrust on the clutch element 26 to cause the same to ro- 5 tate therewith in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3.

Under conditions where, for some reason, the driven member 25 tends to overrun the driving flange 21 and rotate faster than the flange, the tooth 55 being in engagement'with one of the notches ill on the hub 20, which it will be remembered is a fixed part of the member including the flange 21, the member 25 will be prevented words, the provision of the notches BI and thetooth I5 prevents the member 25 from rotating in a clockwise direction with respect to the flange corrugations ll prevent any movement of the a plate member 28 in. a counterclockwise direction relative to the flange 21.

The clutch mechanism 20 has been referred toas a haif revolution clutch that is to say, it is a clutch mechanism wherein after it has been 7 manually tripped 'or placed in operation. the clutch is driven for one-half of a revolution and then it automatically stops. This type of clutch is well known, and in order to secure the desired operation through one-half of a revolution, or u 180, the driven member 25 of the clutch 3| is Provided with an additional notch or recess 12a diametrically opposite to the notch 12, and likewise the throwout dog 40 is of a length to bring 5 one endthereof adjacent the notch or recess 12d in a relation which corresponds to the relation between theopposite end of the clutch dog ill and the notch I2. Thus, when the pedal 15 is depressed to raise the roller Iiiout of the notch I2,

the clutch is actuated until the notch 12a is rotated into a position to receive the roller II, and then the roller III drops into the notch 12a and there bears against that end of the throwout dog 40. The latter then swings about its pivot ll to 16 disengage the plate member 25 from the driving member 21-28 of the clutch. Reference has been made above to the fact that the power lift assembly embodied in the present invention is preferably utilized for rais- 20 mg and lowering implements or other operating units. Implements, such as listers, plows, cultivators and the like employ soil engaging tools whichare adapted to be raised and lowered into and out of inoperative position. To this end, a

. 5 transversely disposed rock shaft ill is provided and is preferably supported directly on the/tractor although, if desired, the shaft 80 may be Journaled by bearing means carried by the cover plate III. However, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shaft 88 is supported in bearings II and 82, the former being supported in an opening at the upper end of the bracket 66 and the bearing 82 is supported in a similar bracket 85 bolted or otherwise secured to the tubular drive housing 4. Both ends'of the rock shaft Bil are squared, as at B6 and B1 to receive cranks, gears, and other members .by which the rocking movement of the shaft 80 is utilized to perform the desired func tions. The rock shaft Bil is mounted above the power lift clutch mechanism and is also disposed above the tubular axle housings [and 5 so that implement units both at the front andat the rear of the tractor I may be connected with the rock shaft 80. 45 For actuating the rock shaft 80, the same is connected with the driven-parts of the clutch mechanism 30. According to the principles of the present invention, such connections include an overload release mechanism to protect the 50 clutch structure and associated parts in the event that the implement or other operating units are subjected to an overload. For example, if the implement associated with the tractor is a plow or the like and if the furrow opener thereof happens to be hooked underneath a large root or v The overload release mechanism is interposed as an operative connection between the transverse shaft 3 4, which is keyed to the driven plate member 35 of the half-revolution clutch mechanism 20, and the rock shaft 8.. The overload release mechanism is indicated in Figure 1 man entirety by the reference numeral ll and comprises a pair of links ll and 22 'pivotally connected together, as by a pivot pin 93 or the equivalent, and the link II is journaled at its lower end' on a pin 95 carried on a power lift crank 96 secured to the left hand end of the transverse '75 shaft 34, as by a pin 08 (see Figure 2) or stone at the time it'is desired to raise the furrow equivalent. The link a: consists r, a pair of mterconnected members Ill and I2, and the upper ends of the link members llil and I02 embrace and are pivotally connected to the outer end of an arm I05 rigidly secured to the rock shaft ill near one end thereof and adjacent the bearing means 82 and the supporting bracket 85, as best shown in Figure 2, as by a pivot pin 6.; The arm I05 and a collar It! at the other end of the rock shaft serve to maintain the latter in position in the supporting brackets 68 and I5. I

The pivotally connected links 9i and 82 are as shown in Figure 4. The biased means com- I prises a spring I I0 carried on an eye belt I I I pivotally connected with the link 92 by a pin H2 and provided with a threaded section 3 which receives a nut Ill against which the spring Iii] bears. The opposite end of the spring IIII acts against an abutment member H6 having rocker sections Ill and, in turn, bearing against an arm member in comprising a pair of interconnested straps i2! and I22 pivoted at the upper ends on the pin I06.

The link member ill is provided with an extension arm I25 which terminatesin a,pair of laterally directed oppositely disposed cylindrical lugs I21 and I28. The extension I25 forms a rigid part of the link 9i and swings therewith when the link 5i turns about the axis 93 with respect to the companion link 92. When the links BI and 92 are arranged as shown in Figure 4, the lugs I21 and I28 are so positioned that they engage the edges of the link members Iill and I02, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, being held in that position under the influence of the spring I ill bearing against the links I2I and I22, each of which is provided with a notch I30 to receive the lugs I21 and I28. In this position, the pivots 95, 93, and "It will be in nearly a straight line, and the effect of thespring IIII in holding the links I and 92 in this position will be at a maximum due to the fact that the arm extension I25 is disposed alongside the upper link member 92 so that the effective moment arm of the biasing force applied through the links HI and I22 against the lugs I21 and I28 is a maximum. Thus, a substantially rigid' link connection under all normal lifting loads is provided between the crank arm and a half-revolution and has rocked the arm IIII upwardly. If, for example, the rock shaft III is subjectedfto an abnormal overload, as when a plow to be lifted becomeshooked underneath a large root or stone, the turning effort of the crank arm 86 will, instead of swinging the arm III upwardly, swing the linkmember 8i about the pivot 83, thus swinging the arm extension I25 outwardly and against the tension of the spring III b and the arm member I20. Thus. the overload release means will be tripped and will permit the clutch 30 to actuate without rocking the shaft 00. and as the arm extension I25 swings about the 5 pivot 93 and-against the tension of the spring I I0, the links assume the position shown in Figure 5. That is to say, an overload on the clutch is suillcient to cause the lugs I21 and I to be cammed out of the recesses I30 in the link or strap mem- It is to be noted that after the lugs I21 and I20 are forced out of the recesses I30, and the arm extension I has swung to an appreciable angle,

the effect of the biased spring means I I0, I20 in 15 resistingthe pivotal 'swinging of the link member 9| is materially reduced. It will' also be noted that as soon as the arm extension I25 swings past .what mightbe termeda dead center position with respect to the arm I20, the effect of the spring 0 '20 is to aid in swinging the links 9| and 92 to their folded or retracted position. In the extended position of the links 9| and 92, as shown in Figure ,4, the connecting irieans acts as a substantially rigid unit. In order, however, to minimize 25 the effect of the spring I III in swinging the link 9| after the dead. center position has been reached, the outer or free ends of the links HI and I22. are formed to have a curvature of a radius, substantially equal to the length of the arm extension I25. As will be apparent, the curvatureof the free ends of the links I2l and I22 determinewhether ornot the spring means I I0 continues to resist the folding movement of the links 9| and 92, or whether during the latter part of the movement the effect of the spring means I I0 is to aid the folding of the links 9| and 92.

During the time in which the clutch 90 completes its cycle of operation after the lugs I21 and I28 havebeen forced out of the recesses I30, the

nism will again assume the-position 'shown inFig ure 4. During this resetting operation, referring now to Figure 5, the crank arm 90 swings downwardly and to the right through a substantially half-revolution, swinging the link member 9| in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5 about the pivot 93, thus sliding the lugs I21 and I20 along the arm I20 toward the pivot I06 until the lugs I21 and I28 again rest in the recesses I30.

0 Thus, the arcuate shaped ends ofthe arm I20 function as a track to guide the lugs I21 and I20 back into their locked position in the recesses I30.

It is important to note that all of the spring relief mechanism is formed on or carriedby the 5 links 9| and 92 themselves and no casing or other supporting means for any of the overload release mechanism is necessary.

While I have described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been embodied, itwill be apparent that my invention is not to be limited to the,

specific details both' shown and described above,

but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects 7; of my invention.

verse shaft, and operative connections at the 6 therebywhenever said clutch mechanism is ac- What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Power lift mechanism for tractors and the like comprising a member adapted to be secured to the tractor and including a transversely dis- 5 posed bearing housing portion having a.central enlargedsection, a transverse shaft journaled in said bearing housing portion, means for driving said shaft including a sleeve journaled in one end of said housing portion and extending 1 from the enlarged section thereof laterally outwardly, driving means carried by the laterally inner end of said sleeve .and half-revolution clutch mechanism disposed near the other end of said sleeve and operatively connected with 1 said shaft near one end thereof, and power lift connections arranged to be driven from the other end of said shaft.'

2. Power lift mechanism for tractors and-the like comprising a member adapted to be secured 2 to the tractor and including a transversely disposed bearing housing, a transverse shaft iournaled therein, means for drivingsaid shaft including a half-revolution clutch mechanism carried at one end of the shaft, power lift connec- 2 tions-driven by the other end of said shaft, brackets carried by the tractor and spaced laterally adjacent the ends of said transverse shaft, a rock shaft journaled in said brackets, and means'connecting said rock shaft with said power 30 lift connections.

3. Powerlift mechanism for tractors and the like comprising a transversely disposed bearing housing carried by the tractor, a shaft journaled in said housing, means for driving said 35 shaft including a half-revolution clutch mechanism arranged at one end of said shaft, driven connections arranged at the other endof said shaft and adapted to be actuated thereby, laterally spaced brackets carried by the tractor and 4 arranged adjacent the ends of said shaft, a transversely disposed rock shaft journaled in said brackets,-means carried by the bracket'adjacent the half -re"volution clutch for controlling the operation of said clutch, and means for driving said 4 rock shaft from said connections.

4. Power lift mechanism for tractors and the like comprising a centrally disposed housing member including a longitudinally arranged shaft adapted to be driven by the tractor, tubular 5 extensions directed laterally outwardly from said central housing, a transversely disposed shaft iournaled in said extensions, means for driving said transverse shaft from the longitudinal shaft including a half-revolution clutch mechanism 5 disposed at the end of the associated tubular extension and means within the central housing for driving said clutch mechanism, means connecting said clutch mechanism with said transother end of the transverse shaft and driven tuated. a

5. Power lift mechanism for tractors and the like comprising a power take-off connection driv- 6 en therefrom, meansto be operated by said power take-off connection, and a spring relief mechanism interposed between said means, and said power take-oil condition and including a pair of pivotally connected links and yieldable means 7 carried by one link and reacting against the other link to prevent the transmission of abnormal loads from said power take-off connection'ito said first'named means.

0. Power lift mechanism for tractors and the 7 likecomwisingapowertake-oficonnectiondriv-- against said extension, whereby said links areyieldingly beldinsaid nearly straight line posientherefrommeanstobeoperamdbysaidpowertake-oifconnectiomandaspringreliefmech- -anismintermsedbetweensaidmeansandsaid power take-oif'connection and including a pair of links pivotally connected together and spring biasedmeanscarriedbyoneof said linksandre- 'acting against theotherto holdsaid linksin substantially rigid relation for the transmission of thrust-forces from said power take-oi! connection to said means.

.7; Power lift mechanism for tractors and the V like comprising a power take-oil connection I driven therefrom. means to be operated by said power ta'ke-oflconnection, and resettable spring relief mechanism interposed between said' means and-said power take-oil connection and including a pair of links pivotaily connected together,

--oneofsaidlinksincludingan arm portion swingable about the axis of pivotal connection of said links from one side of said axis tov the other, and

resilient means reacting against the other of said links and bearing against said arm to yeidingly resist any pivotal movement of either linkwith respect to theother.

a. An overload release mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally wnnected links, an extension on one of said links adapted to bear against the other link in one relative position of the links, and spring means carried by said one link and arranged to react against saidextension on the other link for yieidingiy resisting relative movement between the links.

9. An overload release mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally connected links, one of said links having a portion engaging the other link to limit the swinging movement of one link with respect to the other in one direction and to determine the normal position of said links, an arm pivoted to one of said links and having a yielding connection with the other link and bearing against one of said links to yieldingly hold said straight line, an arm pivoted to one of said links and bearing against said extension. and spring means carried by one of said links and acting against said arm to yieldingly urge said arm W said extension, whereby. said links are yieidingiy held in said nearly straight line posi- 11. An overload release mechanismcomp'rising a pair of pivotaliy connected links. an extension 'on one link adapted to bear against the other link' when said links are disposedin nearly a straight line, an. arm pivoted to one of said links and bearing against said extension, and spring means carried by one of said links and acting againstsaidarmtoyieldinglyurgesaidarm,

tion and are capable of transmitting compression stressesimtoacertainmaximumarecessin said arm positioned to receive the end of said extension. and a guideway on saidarm for re- -ceivingsaidextensionwhensaidlinksarecaused to move out of said nearly straight line position by the application of an abnormal compresson stress greater than said certain maximum, said guideway functioning to guide said extension adapted to be connected with implements associated'with the tractor for raising and lowering said implements, and means for actuatingsaid rocking member from said power take-off shaft comprising a transversely disposed shaft mounted on the tractor substantially directly below said rocking member, means for operatively connecting said shaft to said rocking member. a selfinterrupting clutch mechanism connected to said transverse shaft, and means fonoperatively connecting said clutch mechanism with said power take-oi! shaft. said rocking, member actuating means also including upwardly extending overload release mechanism for interrupting the actuation of said rocking member responsive to an increase of load on said rocking member above a predetermined amount. without interrupting the transmission of rotative power to the implements associated with the tractor.

13. In combination with a tractor having a longitudinally extending power take-off shaft for delivering rotative power to implements associated with the tractor, a transversely disposed rock shaft mounted on the tractor and adapted to be connected with implements associated with the tractor at-the front and rear thereof for raising and lowering such implements. and means for actuating said rock shaft from said power take-oil shaft comprising a second transversely disposed shaft mounted on the tractor. means for operatively connecting said second shaft to said rock shaft, a self-interrupting clutch mechanism mechanism with said power take-off shaft, said rock shaft actuating means also including overload release mechanism for interrupting the actuation of said rock shaft responsive to an increase of load on saidrock shaft above a predetermined amount, without interrupting the transmission of rotative power to the implements associated with the tractor.

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connected to said second transverse shaft, and b means for operatively connecting said clutch 

